Comeback
by Tantopat
Summary: A StEx fic, set before the main story. When a former superstar electric engine decides to try for the World Championship, it will take everything he has to succeed.
1. Beginnings

Disclaimer: I don't own Starlight Express, or any of its characters or anything else to do with it, nor am I making any money from this. So there:P

A/N: This takes place before StEx, just so you know. And I didn't know if Lube was an engine or car, so I made him an engine in this. Oh, and there will be slashiness later on (male/male relationships for those who don't know what that means), so you have been warned! Anyway, enjoy! -

The noise echoing throughout the trainyard was deafening. The screeching of brakes blended with the groan of tracks nearly buckling under the pressure of the speeding trains. The grating sound of metal tearing could be heard, and voices constantly shouted and cheered. Wrench ducked to avoid a flying piece of barrier, as the engines slammed into the railing around the tracks once again. Sighing, she bent down to pick up the stray piece, a chunk of armour whizzing past her ear as she did. Collecting the item, she straightened up, moving closer to the barrier to watch the race progress. Although it was dangerous, racing was the favourite pastime of every engine in the yard. They would constantly boast about being the best, and aiming to one day travel to Apollo Victoria, to race for the prestigious title of World Champion. However, Wrench had yet to see any engine here live up to the standards of the championship competitors.

The racetrack erupted in applause, signalling the end of the race. Wrench rolled to the repair shed, where she was met by the owner of the scrap of armour. Lube slowly moved to the table and lay down, groaning loudly.

"The next engine to slam into me is gonna get his wheels shoved where the sun don't shine." Wincing, he touched his shoulder tenderly. "This armour cost me half my life's savings, and now it's ruined." Wrench smiled, shaking her head.

"Don't be such a crybaby. I can fix it," she said, grabbing a nearby blowtorch. Lube turned his head to watch the repair truck, his expression suddenly becoming thoughtful.

"Hey, Wrench...d'ya think we'll ever get out of here?" He asked, his gaze locked on the flame that erupted from the blowtorch's nozzle. "I mean, I know the others all seem to think they could hold their own in the big races, but I seriously think we could do it. What do you think?"

"I think you should stop thinking about it," Wrench answered dismissively, concentrating on her work. She knew that it was foolish to hold onto such dreams, as they were impossible goals. The races in Apollo Victoria were famed for being near impossible for all but the best. Wrench had seen Lube in action, and although she admitted that he was good, he was could hardly be called one of the best.

Seeing Lube's disappointed expression, Wrench sighed in defeat. "Tell you what. You keep training, and I might think about joining you in some of the races. We can both work towards reaching the big time. How does that sound?" Lube grinned, sitting up as Wrench turned off the blowtorch.

"It's a deal," he said, admiring Wrench's work. Wrench smirked, following Lube's gaze. She indicated towards the newly repaired armour.

"You can thank me by giving me a lift back home," she said, and Lube nodded, sliding off the table and waiting for Wrench to hitch onto him, before driving out of the shed and into the cold night air.

The young engine shivered violently, his glazed eyes staring ahead blankly as he rolled slowly down the track. Sparks showered from a large gash in his side, falling from the exposed wires that hung from his torso, some brushing against the floor. The electric train shuddered again, constantly being shocked by his own circuitry. Finally he collapsed against a wall, too tired to even move the wires that rested against his hand, sending shocks throughout his body. He closed his eyes, listening to the steady clicking of wheels coming up behind him. Not long ago, he had ranked amongst the biggest superstars of the train world. Then a race went wrong, and he ended up crashing. Now the electric engine had lost his confidence, and most of his entourage. Only his loyal money truck still cared about the former racing star.

"Electra..." A voice sounded from somewhere behind him, and he cracked open an eye, glancing behind him.

"I'm not going back," Electra muttered. "I'll try somewhere else... I'll show them all... I can win..." Groaning, he slowly stood up, then fell once again as his legs buckled beneath him. Instantly the money truck grabbed him, breaking his fall.

"I believe you," Purse said reassuringly, letting Electra lean against him as they eased down the track. "But for now, we need to find somewhere to rest. And you need to get repaired," he added, casting a concerned glance at the tear in Electra's side. The two rolled onwards in silence, until Purse braked suddenly, stopping them both. Electra winced as he jolted to a stop, and looked questioningly at Purse. The money truck smiled with relief.

"I think I know where we can stay," he said, pointing towards a turn just ahead of them, which led to the entrance of an old, slightly run-down trainyard. The two of them slowly drove towards the entrance, but as soon as they were inside, Electra dropped to his knees suddenly. Purse spun around and moved hesitantly towards the engine, touching him gently on the shoulder. "Electra...are you okay?" He asked, and Electra raised his head slightly, his eyes glazed over again. Opening his mouth, he tried to speak, but the only sound that came out was a quiet moan. Shuddering again, he tried to stand, then passed out. Purse dropped to his knees beside Electra, staring at the smoke pouring out of his side. The money truck looked around him, then rose to his feet again, panic evident in his eyes.

"Someone help!" He yelled, looking down quickly as Electra cried out in pain. "Please...I need help!!"


	2. Repairs

"Ahh!! Lube, slow down!" Wrench half-laughed, half-screamed as Lube sped forwards suddenly, wheels barely touching the track as the two of them practically flew down the track. Lube grinned at Wrench's scream and leapt effortlessly over a low fence, Wrench following without missing a beat.

"See, this is why we make such a good team," Lube said, uncoupling Wrench to climb down from the ledge they had landed on. He spun around on the spot once he was on the ground, holding out a hand to help his friend. Wrench smiled and took his hand, then stopped as she heard a voice shouting in the distance.

"Sounds like the idiots are getting into yet another fight," she sighed, shaking her head. Jumping down from the ledge, she stopped suddenly, hearing the voice again. She turned to Lube, staring at him in confusion. "Wait...it sounds like..." She stepped back onto the track and rolled forwards, then sped up slightly.

"Sounds like what?" Lube enquired, following Wrench. "You'll get there faster if I pull you," he added.

"It sounds...like someone shouting for help," Wrench answered, and stopped, waiting for Lube to catch up. The diesel engine sped up and stepped in front of her, then shifted to full speed once she coupled with him. The pair drove resolutely down the track, Wrench scanning the trackside while Lube pulled her along. "There," she said suddenly, spotting a figure in the distance. Lube nodded, noticing the figure too, and headed for the yard's entrance. Wrench squinted slightly, noticing something on the floor by the figure's feet. She could see now that the figure was an armoured truck of some sort, and from what she could make out, the object by him was another train. She and Lube slowed down as they neared the two trains, and Wrench gasped as she looked properly at the prone train for the first time. The train was an electric engine, and she could see that he was in a bad way. The wires coming out of his side had sent sparks into his circuitry, setting them alight. The acrid smell of burning electronics filled the air, and smoke billowed from the engine's torso, mixed with flames that shot out of the gaping tear. The armoured truck skated towards the two, anxiously observing both of them.

"Please, you must help him," he begged, grabbing Lube by the arm in an attempt to pull him closer to the engine. Lube pulled his arm away quickly, sneering. Seeing this, Wrench nudged her friend firmly in the back.

"Leave him alone, he's probably been through a lot," she reprimanded him, before moving closer to the engine. She knelt down beside him, peering through the smoke into the wound. The electric train shuddered violently as she touched his side gently, but otherwise made no attempt to move. "What happened?" She asked, turning to the truck.

"He was racing, and he crashed," the truck explained, struggling to keep his voice under control. "I tried to get him to have that looked at, but he wouldn't...he said he just wanted to get away..." His gaze met Wrench's suddenly, and she could see his wide, fearful eyes almost brimming with tears as he dreaded the worst. "Will he..." He trailed off, not wanting to finish the sentence. Wrench lowered her gaze, knowing exactly what he was asking. She sighed inwardly, observing the engine. Most of his circuits had already melted, and as she watched him she could see the light fading from his half-opened eyes, as his energy slowly left him. She looked up, unsure of whether she should tell the truck that his engine was unlikely to survive.

"I'll do what I can for him," she said finally, choosing her words carefully. "However, I'm not sure how much I do to save him." She knelt over the electric engine, and carefully felt around his chest plate, before flicking two switches on its underside. The engine's eyes dimmed, as he steadily lost consciousness. Satisfied that his power was low enough to not cause any more sparks, Wrench gently patted out the flames, before looking up at Lube. Her friend nodded and moved forwards, gathering up the broken train in his arms. Wrench turned to the armoured truck as they coupled up behind Lube, smiling gently. "What's your name?" She asked, and the truck smiled faintly back.

"Purse," he answered quietly. "I'm Electra's money truck." Wrench nodded in understanding, then paused, seeing Purse close his eyes suddenly to try and block out tears.

"Don't worry, he'll be okay," she reassured him, then mentally kicked herself, realising what she had just said. She knew that the chances of Electra surviving were few, and she also knew that getting Purse's hopes up would only hurt him more if they couldn't save his engine. Still, it seemed to lift Purse's spirits for now, she noticed. The group drove on in silence, until they reached the repair shed. Sighing inwardly at the thought of having to work for the second time that night, Wrench kept her complaints to herself, gathering her tools as Lube placed Electra on the table. Instantly she got to work, unscrewing his chest plate and lifting it off, exposing the circuits and wires beneath it. Purse and Lube both grew pale as they saw the electric train's innards exposed.

"Oh, just go outside if you're squeamish," Wrench laughed despite the situation, and the two boys took off outside, hands clamped over their mouths. Once the room was empty, Wrench turned back to Electra, studying the damage. Two of his circuit boards had fused together from the heat, and the rest were severely warped. The exposed wires were impossibly tangled, and the insulation had mostly burned away. The wires would be easy enough to replace, but Wrench was worried about the fused boards. The one in the worst condition was the board that controlled his body temperature. Without it, he risked overheating if he went too fast. Wrench carefully removed it, then turned her attention to her own chest. She needed to replace the board, but knew of only one good board that she could use. She bit her lip, ignoring the blinding pain as she opened up her chest, and began to remove one of the circuit boards embedded in her body.

Hours went by, and finally Purse grew tired of waiting. Gathering up his courage, the money truck approached the shed's door and opened it, Lube close behind him. Wrench looked up as the they approached, and smiled.

"It's done," she said, easing herself onto a nearby bench. Lube wheeled closer to her, studying her tired features worriedly.

"You okay?" He asked, placing a hand on her shoulder. Wrench nodded, rubbing her sore chest.

"I'll be fine," she said, dismissing his worries. "I just won't be able to race for a while, that's all." Seeing Lube's face fall, she laughed. "Don't worry, I'll race again eventually. I just need to get a replacement part for myself first." Lube's eyes widened, as what she was saying dawned on him. He looked over at where Purse was standing beside Electra, eyes never moving from the unconscious engine, then glanced back at Wrench. "He owes me big-time," Wrench said quietly, but her words went unheard. The door to the shed flew open, as several engines and trucks bustled around the door. Lube drove towards them, looking at his brothers questioningly.

"He's here!" Tank said, practically bouncing on the spot with excitement. Gook nodded, glancing over his shoulder before looking back at his little brother.

"The new Champ is here! In our train yard!!" The yard was suddenly filled with the sound of coaches squealing, and the crowd quickly cleared, following the noise. Lube looked back at Wrench, who got slowly to her feet and followed him, peering around the door. A group of engines was moving through the yard in formation, headlights flashing in the darkness. The engines slowed to a halt and parted, making way for a huge diesel engine. His dense armour was painted black and yellow, and his hair was styled into a perfect quiff. Wrench gasped quietly, recognising the engine from the countless posters and banners announcing the latest World Championship race, and from the headlines proclaiming the engine before her eyes as the winner.

"Greaseball..."


	3. Conflict

Darkness. All that met Electra's eyes was pure blackness, and his whole body felt dead. Was he dead? Starting to let out a groan, Electra froze when no groan came out. The young engine's state of panic rose when his muscles refused to tense or move. He felt trapped inside his own body, and no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't get himself to wake up. Nothing but silence met his ears, and his senses were numb to the world around them, and even to his own body. Suddenly a voice penetrated through the silence; a muffled voice echoing in his head. The voice grew clearer, and he could make out a single word.

"Verify." Feeling confused, Electra listened intently to the voice. More words followed, and Electra hung onto them, feeling that they were all that stopped him from slipping back into his state of numbness.

"Goto Electra. Mode..." A dull ache started to spread throughout his body, and Electra sighed with relief as feeling started to come back to him, noticing with satisfaction that he could sigh now. As more code was spoken, Electra began to move his arm slightly.

"Enter Electra. Run Electra." Electricity suddenly shot through his body, and Electra's eyes flickered wide open. He gasped, shuddering violently as the electricity streamed down his wires, shocking him agonisingly. "Confirm, confirm, enter." Electra sat bolt upright and looked around, still shivering. A hand rested on his shoulder and he jumped, his head whipping around to look behind him, then relaxed as he recognised Purse.

"I managed to repair most of your circuits, but there were some parts that couldn't be fixed." Electra glanced in the direction of the voice, and found himself face to face with a female repair truck. Her pale face was streaked with blue and red, and a steel red crane protruded from the top of her helmet. Frowning, he eyed her suspiciously, and brought a hand up to his newly repaired side, touching it lightly.

"What couldn't be fixed?" He asked, a sense of dread filling his mind as he remembered what had happened moments earlier. Sensing his engine's fear, Purse squeezed Electra's shoulder lightly, reassuring him. "Why couldn't I wake up?" Electra continued, and Wrench's gaze flickered briefly to his side, before looking back up.

"The circuitboard that ran your start-up programme was badly damaged, and I couldn't find a replacement for it. Until I can find another one, I'm afraid you'll have to be switched on manually." Electra nodded thoughtfully, feeling thankful that Purse had remembered the code. Lube skated towards them suddenly, finally leaving his spot by the door where he had been watching the commotion outside with eager excitement. He grabbed Wrench by the arm and attempted to tug her towards the door, giving the impression of an excited puppy.

"Come on, we're gonna miss it! I wanna see the champ!" Shaking her head in amusement, Wrench smiled apologetically at Electra, and followed Lube outside. "I wonder if I could get his autograph," Lube mumbled to himself as Wrench gently released herself from his grip, coupling up behind him. Electra rose to his feet unsteadily, allowing Purse to support him. The two of them moved towards the door of the shed, and Electra's eyes shot wide open as he saw Greaseball in the centre of the crowd. Scowling, he extended out an arm, sending a bolt of electricity straight into the crowd, who scattered quickly. The champion looked up, glaring as he noticed the electric engine for the first time. Quickly he composed himself, smirking arrogantly at the other engine.

"Long time no see," he laughed, rolling closer to where Electra and Purse stood. Grinning, he indicated towards Purse, who narrowed his eyes as he silently regarded the diesel engine. "Aww, only one left now? What happened, d'ya lose a race or something?" The champion frowned, feigning concern, then burst out laughing suddenly. "Oh, I'm sorry, I totally forgot. You did lose, didn't ya?" Still grinning, Greaseball turned away from Electra, then let out a shout as another bolt of electricity hit him in the back of the head. Spinning around again, he lunged towards the electric engine, who drove determinedly towards him, electricity crackling around his fingers. Greaseball swung his fist at Electra, but the other engine anticipated the attack and sidestepped, moving behind Greaseball and planting a palm into the centre of his back. A burst of electricity shot through the champion's body, throwing him several feet across the ground. Electra turned his back on Greaseball and moved back towards Purse, his legs shaking from using up so much power before he was ready. However, before he had reached his money truck, a hand grasped one of his coupling links roughly, dragging him backwards. Too weak to fight back, Electra skidded straight into Greaseball's fist, crying out as the blow hit him hard in the back. Greaseball grinned at the sound and punched Electra again, before throwing him to the floor.

"Stop it!" Purse shouted, moving between Greaseball and Electra. Rolling his eyes at the truck, Greaseball shoved him roughly aside, advancing towards the electric engine again. Instantly Wrench and Lube blocked his path, and Greaseball scowled at them.

"Just leave him," Lube said quietly, smiling at Greaseball. "He's scum, not worth your time at all." Wrench stared in shock at her friend, but said nothing. Greaseball considered Lube's argument, then let out a laugh.

"You're right," he said, flashing his trademark smirk. He indicated to his gang and drove off, closely followed by his obedient entourage. Once they had left, Wrench rounded on Lube.

"Why did you say that? You sounded as bad as him!!" She snapped, but her friend just shrugged.

"It worked, didn't it?" Sighing in defeat, Wrench looked down at where Purse crouched by Electra, smoothing out his crest. Half-smiling at Purse, Electra grasped the truck's hands gently, bringing them away from his helmet. Wincing, he got slowly to his feet, staring in the direction that Greaseball had retreated.

"I'll show him," he said simply, not taking his eyes of the shed where Greaseball and his gang now rested. Wrench opened her mouth to oppose this, but Electra glanced sideways at her and held up a hand, quietening her. "I don't mean now. I'll show him that I can still take the title of Champion." Smiling genuinely for the first time since he arrived, he turned to face her, determination evident in his eyes. "And you're going to help me." Before Wrench could protest, he and Purse disappeared into the darkness, searching for an empty shed to stay in. Feeling bewildered, she turned to Lube, the feeling intensifying as she saw the look on his face.

"I guess you've found your engine then," Lube sighed, sounding both hurt and annoyed. "So much for our promise." Wrench shook her head desperately, grabbing Lube's wrist as he turned to leave.

"Look, just because that guy says I'm going with him, it doesn't make it true." Lube glanced over his shoulder at Wrench, regarding her unsurely. Finally he slipped his wrist out of her grip, silently driving towards Greaseball's shed. Wrench watched her best friend roll away, too overwhelmed by what had happened to call after him. She slowly dropped to the floor, hand clamped over her mouth as tears began to stream down her cheeks.


	4. Chase

"Wrench...Electra wants to know -"

"No..."

"But...he said that -"

"No..."

"...I really think you should give him -"

"No..."

"Wrench..." Purse sighed, moving his face closer to the window of the repair truck's shed, in an attempt to peer through the dusty glass. Shutters suddenly closed behind the window, blocking the dark room from Purse's view. Undeterred, the money truck tapped lightly on the window, straining his ears for any sign of the muffled voice that came from within. Suddenly, the door cracked open, revealing a tear-streaked face.

"Please just...just leave me alone," Wrench muttered, shutting the door again. A hand blocked its path, and Wrench groaned, half-heartedly glaring at Purse. "For the last time, no," she sighed wearily. "If it wasn't for him, Lube wouldn't have left me in the first place. What makes him think he can just order me about, when he doesn't even know me?" Shaking her head, she retreated inside her shed again, this time leaving the door open for Purse. The component stepped inside, then looked up quizzically as a coupling link was placed in his hands. "It fell off Electra," Wrench explained, noticing Purse's expression. "Does he ever race without crashing?"

"Not usually," Purse admitted, looking at the newly repaired and polished coupling link. "He keeps getting upgrades, without getting used to his speed first. Now he can barely even turn when he races at full speed." He followed her to an old sofa and sat down as she did, studying the coupling link again before looking up at Wrench pleadingly. Wrench opened her mouth to protest again, then stopped, as something dawned on her.

"Why doesn't he just race with you? You don't seem to mind being his lap-dog." She practically spat the last words, wrinkling her nose at the thought of working for Electra. Purse shook his head, ignoring her angry words.

"He refuses to race with me." He smirked slightly, predicting her thoughts. "Not because I'm bad at racing. I'm just too valuable. As Electra's personal money truck, any damage I sustain would severely impact him, too." Wrench nodded, wondering if that was the only reason for Electra to value Purse so much. Finally she sighed in defeat, wiping her eyes.

"Look, I'll help him practice, but I won't enter any races with him." She bit her lip, forcing back further tears. "I promised Lube I'd race with him, and he'll come to his senses eventually. So I can't make any long-term plans with Electra, because I already have a racing partner." Purse watched Wrench sadly, frowning slightly. He could tell that deep down, she didn't believe it any more than he did. She was just desperate to have her best friend back, and refused to accept that once Lube had joined Greaseball's gang, he was unlikely to come back to her. Smiling sadly, he stood up, and nodded to her.

"I'll let Electra know of your decision," he said. "I'm sure he'll be happy to have you helping him practice." Wrench forced a smile and nodded back, then looked down at the floor, biting her lip again. Purse hesistated for a moment as he watched her, then shook his head and rolled out of her shed, leaving the repair truck alone with her thoughts.

The next day, the yard was practically empty. Greaseball and his gang were showing off in the main racetrack, and almost everyone in the yard had gone to watch. Purse sat perched on a crumbling wall, waiting for Electra and Wrench to get ready for a practice run. The two coupled up, then Electra nodded at Purse, indicating that he was ready.

"Okay, we'll start off with a run around the yard, on my mark. Ten...nine...eight...sev-"

"Wait!" Electra held up a hand suddenly, stopping Purse's countdown. Wrench frowned, leaning to one side slightly to get a better view of the electric engine. Electra took a deep breath and held it for a few seconds, trying to calm down. Purse waited patiently for his engine to prepare himself, then spoke up.

"Are you ready yet?" Electra looked over at Purse and nodded, still looking slightly hesitant.

"Yes." Purse opened his mouth to continue the countdown, when Electra held up his hand again. "Wait, no." Groaning, the engine uncoupled Wrench and began to turn away, when Wrench coupled with him again, holding on tightly. Electra tried to uncouple her again, but the repair truck stayed firmly where she was, refusing to budge from her spot. "Let go!" Electra growled, skidding backwards suddenly and braking sharply. Wrench's grip loosened slightly as they braked, but she held on and gripped tighter, determined to stay coupled to him. "It's pointless, I know I'll just end up crashing again. That's what always happens."

"It happened once," Purse interjected. Electra scowled, glaring at his money truck.

"It doesn't matter! Either way, I'm not racing!" Wrench sighed irritably, releasing one of the coupling links from her grip. She reached up and felt below Electra's crest, opening a hatch at the nape of his neck. Electra moved to stop her, then froze as the repair truck unplugged a couple of wires, disabling his arms.

"Now then," she said, not bothering to hide her annoyance anymore. "Let's try this again. I didn't get dragged out here just to be messed around. If you want to be in the Championships, you have to be prepared to actually race. So..." She plugged in the wires again, and unplugged two others, holding them against the end of a third wire. Sparks began to shoot from the wires in her hands, and travelled down the third wire into his skull. Electra looked down suddenly, watching helplessly as the monitor on his chest plate lit up. Electricity shot through every limb in his body, and he gulped, knowing what was coming next. "Race!!"

"Don't -" he started, when Wrench plugged the loose wires back into his head, and he shot forwards, his wheels kicking into life. Electra faltered momentarily, nearly losing his balance, then regained his composure and fell into rhythm, shooting through the yard. Wrench let out a whoop as they raced past the sheds, kicking up clouds of dust as they moved. She peered over Electra's shoulder, noticing the wall that they were heading for.

"Turn now," she yelled, and Electra began to steer right, struggling to turn properly. Wrench turned with him, forcing him to lean over, and the two of them banked sharply, skating away from the wall. Electra nearly lost focus, still stunned by the fact that he hadn't crashed yet. Grinning, he sped up, weaving through the sheds of the yard. Wrench smiled to herself, sensing the young engine's excitement, then her smile began to falter as something inside her felt wrong. Frowning, she looked down at her chest, then jumped as Electra braked suddenly, causing her to nearly slam into him. Coming to a halt, she uncoupled and stepped to the side, her stomach sinking as she saw who stood in front of them. Greaseball and his gang blocked their path, and the Union Pacific engine looked purely amused.

"You still haven't given up?" He asked, smirking arrogantly. He indicated to his gang, and a figure dressed in black armour rolled to his side. Wrench suddenly looked hurt, recognising Lube. Her old friend looked up and then quickly averted his gaze, refusing to look her in the eye. Greaseball tapped Lube on the shoulder, and pointed to Wrench and Electra. "Take care of them," he ordered, and Lube nodded, skating forwards. Wrench moved towards him, unaffected by his obedience to the champion.

"Please, don't do this," she said quietly, forcing Lube to meet her gaze. "I don't know what went wrong, but you don't have to grovel to that loser just because we had a misunderstanding." Greaseball growled audibly at the "loser" comment, but Wrench ignored him and continued, taking Lube's hand gently. "Friends argue all the time, right? It doesn't mean we have to fall out over it." Lube looked down at her hand, then back at her, the faintest impression of a smile evident in his features. Suddenly he was pulled backwards roughly, as Greaseball moved forwards, advancing on the electric trains. Electra started to build up electricity around his hands, when Wrench nudged him lightly.

"Don't," she whispered, coupling up with him again. "Just go. Show him, like you said you would." Electra nodded and shot forwards suddenly, barreling into Greaseball and knocking him over as he skated. Lube took off after them, obeying the champion's furious yelling to catch them. Wrench looked over her shoulder as her friend gave chase, and turned back to Electra. "Let him catch up," she pleaded, and Electra slowed down, allowing Lube to run alongside them.

"Look, I'm sorry for what I did," he said, looking genuinely apologetic. Wrench smiled and let go of Electra, skidding to a halt along with Lube. The electric engine braked and watched them for a moment, then drove off to find Purse. Once he had left, Wrench skated up to him, watching him unsurely. "I was an idiot for leaving you like that, and I'm really sorry. I just..." He sighed, looking her properly in the eye for the first time. "I thought you'd chosen him over me. I didn't want to lose you, although I guess I made that happen anyway."

Wrench shook her head, the uncertainty in her eyes vanishing as she listened to him. "It's okay," she said, smiling. "I know you were just upset, and you didn't lose me." Grinning suddenly, she threw her arms around Lube's neck, hugging him tightly. Lube smiled warmly and hugged her back, then looked around, making sure they were alone, before speaking again.

"I can't just walk out on Greaseball - my brothers are still with him, and I want to at least stay faithful to them - but you could always come to where we're going. I'll be free from him eventually, and when I am we can race, just like we promised." Wrench looked up at him, studying his face carefully. Once she was sure that he was being genuine, she grinned.

"Okay, it's a deal. Where are you headed?"

"Apollo Victoria." Wrench was lost for words suddenly. She looked at her friend in surprise, noting the excitement in his voice just from mentioning the city's name. She beamed proudly at him.

"Looks like you're going for the big races after all." She looked to the side, hearing Electra and Purse roll up to them. Finally letting Lube go, she grinned again, coupling up behind Purse. "See you there, then." Lube nodded happily and drove away, leaving Electra feeling confused by what he had just heard.

"Where exactly are we going, then?" He asked suspiciously, and Wrench smiled.

"Apollo Victoria. Greaseball will be there; you could try to beat him in the races." Electra paused, considering her suggestion, then nodded.

"Right." Without another word, he set off down the tracks, heading towards the Train City.


	5. Dreaming

Heavy rain hammered down onto the shed roof, flooding the ground outside the weather-beaten building. In the distance, a fallen tree, blackened from where lightning had struck it, was just visible in the darkness. Tracks had been formed in the mud, indicating the erratic movements of a train that had crashed just hours ago. A pair of eyes peered through a crack in the side of the shed, wide with fear as they looked out into the world.

"Mummy..." A small voice whimpered, as a tiny hand reached up, wiping away tears. The little component sat down by the crack, still peering out. "I want my mummy!" He cried again, as if the words would somehow bring his mother back to him. Suddenly the door opened slowly, and a battered looking truck rolled in unsteadily, using the doorframe to support himself. "Daddy!!" The young component raced up to his father, flinging himself at the truck. Smiling reassuringly, the truck scooped up the little train in his arms.

"It's okay, son," he said soothingly, struggling slightly to keep himself upright while holding the child. The little component looked up at him with scared eyes, instantly noticing his mother's absence.

"Where's mummy?" He asked, as his father rolled further into the shed and sat down with him. The armaments truck sighed sadly, biting his lip to prevent himself from breaking down into sobs.

"She... she's gone to heaven now," he explained gently, struggling to keep his voice under control as his eyes filled up behind his dark glasses. His son began to cry freely, knowing exactly what that meant. Although he was very young, he'd seen enough deaths to understand that he wouldn't see his mother again. Tears blurring his vision, he reached forwards for his father, then stopped, gasping suddenly. His father had vanished, and he was alone again. Calling out for someone to find him, he got to his feet and rolled forwards, looking out the door for any sign of the truck, then sat down again, head buried in his now adolescent arms as he sobbed loudly. Hours went past, as the silent shed was filled with the sound of the young engine crying out for help, only the spiders and rats in the shed listening to his misery. Finally he looked up, and watched silently as the world fell away, and darkness engulfed him.

Electra gasped, his eyes shooting open as soon as he was awake. He looked around, taking a moment to remember where he was. The three of them had found an abandoned shed to stay in overnight, and to Electra's dismay it looked disconcertingly like the one in his dream. Still shaking after the dream, he reached out into the darkness, his hand brushing the cold stone floor as he felt around for the money truck who lay next to him, fast asleep. Purse stirred slightly as Electra nudged him, then cracked open an eye, looking over at the silhouette of his engine.

"Hmm...?" Purse yawned and sat up, a low light beginning to glow from inside his eyes as he propped himself up on his elbows. "What's up?" He asked sleepily, then realised what had happened as he saw the look on Electra's face. Rubbing sleep from his eyes, he wrapped his arms around the electric engine and laid his head gently on Electra's chest, desperately trying to calm his shaking. "It was just a dream," he murmured, closing his eyes again.

"But it really happened," Electra whispered, trying to block out the images from his mind. The screeching of brakes and the crashing of thunder echoed loudly inside his head, and he could still see the faces of his parents as their brakes failed in the mud. Frowning with concern, Purse propped himself up again, gazing into Electra's eyes as if doing so might tell him what his engine saw. He leaned down and gently kissed him, then lay back down next to him, shuffling closer to the engine.

"I know it must be so hard for you, even after all this time. But you have to remember that you're here now. You went through hard times, and you came out of them." Smiling, he rested his head on Electra's shoulder, toying with his chest plate. "You're stronger than you realise." A scuffling noise was heard a few feet away, and the two of them glanced over at Wrench, who glared tiredly at them.

"Please, be quiet," she moaned, barely awake. "And Purse, switch off your headlights, would you? I can't sleep when it's so bright in here." Purse smiled sheepishly and let the lights in his eyes fade, then settled down next to Electra. The electric engine watched his money truck fall asleep slowly, then relaxed, letting sleep take him once more.

"So, where to now?"

"Hold on," Electra closed his eyes, switching on his satellite navigation system. His eyelids flickered as he watched the images materialise before his eyes, creating a 3D map of the surrounding area. He moved the virtual camera forwards, urging it on down the tracks and over a bridge until they passed a large building and entered a small yard. From the computer-generated model, it looked run down and practically abandoned, but it seemed safe enough to stop at while they planned what to do next, and there would no doubt be practising space there.

Nodding once at his own decision, Electra opened his eyes again, letting Wrench and Purse couple up with him. "There's an old yard a little way down the tracks, just past a building. We'll stop there for a while so we can practice and rest." He went to drive forwards, but stopped, seeing that Wrench still had her brakes applied. "Wrench, what are you doing?" He sighed, uncoupling to look at her. Wrench snapped out of her thoughts and looked up at him, slightly dazed.

"What?"

"Why were your brakes still on?"

"Oh," Wrench shook her head dismissively. "I was just thinking. What was that building?" Electra frowned, surprised at her question.

"I don't know, just an old building. Probably a factory or something." Wrench shrugged and switched off her brakes, then waited for Electra and Purse to couple up again. They moved off at a relaxed pace down the tracks, unaware of the quiet clatter of wheels that followed them from a distance.

Purse looked around him as they moved, feeling slightly uneasy. The other two hadn't noticed anything unusual, but he was sure that he could hear something following them. Pulling himself slightly closer to Electra, he looked over his shoulder again, staring past Wrench as he tried to keep an even speed while not looking where he was going. Wrench looked questioningly at him, but before she could ask him what was wrong he turned to Electra.

"Someone's following us," he whispered, feeling slightly nervous at the thought of being followed. Electra nodded and sped up, while Wrench looked back, watching the two figures in the distance. They were speeding up, but not by much. Wrench decided that they were trucks, judging by their speed, and they seemed determined to catch up to Electra. Suddenly she let go of one of Purse's coupling links, bringing a hand up to her chest.

"Slow down," she said quickly, feeling herself overheat. Electra shook his head, failing to notice her discomfort.

"They could be working for Greaseball. If he's found out where we're headed, he could want us destroyed." Wrench winced as she felt her circuitboards become dangerously hot, and tried to brake, but Electra's speed meant that they had little effect on him.

"But they're just -" She stopped, gasping suddenly. Her vision started to blur, and her whole body felt like it was on fire. Purse heard her gasp and tugged on Electra's coupling links to gain his attention, but it was too late. As they crossed a bridge, Wrench lost her grip and disconnected from Purse, losing her balance as she flew unaided down the track. She desperately tried to steady herself, but failed and crashed through the bridge's railings, plummeting into the river below.


End file.
